Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-09-07
QUEER WRiGGLING PETS.
The Live Ornaments Worn by Some Whim-
steal Society Women,

steal Society Women.
"One of the Kings of France had a
| cob-web coat and the ladies of the day
wore gorgeous spiders in their lofty
hats, and to judge from appearances
the California horned toad is coming
into fashion," said a Los Angeles
jeweler "WhyP Simply because a
lady came in the store the other day
and left orders to have a gold band
put around the horned toad she brought
in and to have it locked with small
gold paddock attached to a chain and
pin, and though / did not ask any
| questions, [ assume that the animal is
to be a hat ornament. | have heard of
such thinge before. The other day."
continued the speaker, II saw man
take his watch from his pocket and
upon the end of the double chain
dangled small, but frisky horned
toad. So it is evident that the little
animals are in fashion,
The variety of uses to which animals
are put, living or dead, is somewhat as
founding, and fashion often dictates
usages that otherwise would be repug.
nant to the refined taste Wearing
| living animals upon the headgear is no
new thing--is, in fact, as old as anything.
| Lizards were worn upon the head by an
cient Egyptians, the curious gecko be-
ing the one most commonly used, and
in India to-day native women fasten
large living butterflies upon their hair.
Some years ago young woman APP
peared at fashionable Newport hotel,
and when out upon the drive wore
upon her riding-hat an enormous slow
moving beetle that, like the horned
toad referred to, was fastened to pin
by a chain, and paddock. [ after
ward saw this unfortunate insect in a
jewelers. at New York, where it had
been laid up for repairs. 1t was a
most disagreeable object but ate it's
supply of sugar as if it enjoyed life.
It's owner succeeded in advertising her.
self, whether this was her object or
not; but all pets come to grief in the
end and this proved no exception. 1t
so happened that the wearer went to
| an entertainment out of town one even
ing, and to astonish the natives wore
the big beetle upon her hat. During
the performance the insect, probably
being aroused by the light or heat, be-
gan to walk about and caught the eve
of a countryman sitting behind, who,
not up to the vagaries of fashion,
hoarsely whispered so that it was heard
all over, Excuse me- miss, but there s
a bug in your bonnet" and forthwith
dashed the unfortunate beetle to the
ground, ending its career then and
there.
In Southern countries ire-f1ies are
often utilized for decorative purposes
by the ladies of fashion, being espe-
cially adapted for garden parties at
night, and probably the most remark
able costume ever seen was worn by q
Cuban lady at an entertainment few
years ago. 1t was bal masque, and
part of the flooring was laid in the
open air, the bright moonlight being
quite sufficient for all purposes. She
appeared as Might and was almost
covered with fre-fies, each of which
was caught by delicate silver wire
and held SO that it's light was plainly
seen. The effect of this display was
magnificent, the living lights cleaning
and twinkling like so many diamonds.
In the North, fre-fies have been
often used by ladies to decorate their
hair at night, and a famous fop of
Mexico always wore a number about
his sombrero. The curious walking
sticks (nantis) and the walking-leaf
are sometimes used in the countries in
which they are found as decorations.
Not only is the living beetle used, but
dead beetles are m de into studs and
pins, the rich Brazilian green varieties
being most valued. In Europe, or
rather Northern Africa, the scarabeus
is esteemed, nd models in stone are
used as seals and charms Thousands
of these objects are sold to tourists as
having been found in graves and tombs,
when in reality they were manufacture
ed in New England Git is needless to
mention the State) for this trade.
In Colorado I saw a cowboys SOM
brero decorated with the stuffed skin
of a rattlesnake, the latter being used
instead of hatband Ipresume that
the wearer was "Rattlesnake Bill
Snake-skins are extremely fashionable
when made into belts and bags, and as
book covers they are not unattractive.
SO with sharks; the skin of certain
varieties is used for number of pur-
poses, as belts, pocket-books, book
binding, etc. 1t is curious that fish
scales are not used more in decoration.
Some are remarkably beautiful, espec-
tally those of the tarpon, which look
more like a trade dollar than any thing
| else, the silver having been seeming
ly poured upon them. They are some
times made into chatelaines, and have
heard of a dado being made up of them.
The tarpon is rightly named the silver
king, and is the most beautiful of all
| its kinda OleaminO mass of silver and